of fort madison



Y Sept. 6, 1932. s.'L.. DAUGHZERTY .1875425 FOUNTAIN' PEN DESK STAND Filed Nov. 26. 19:50`

dh ZZ Patented Sept. 6, 1932 *UNITED sTA'Til-.ISl

PATENT OFFICE SAMUEL ,DAueIrERTIL orA FORT MADISON, IOWA, AssIGNoR Tow. A. sIIEArrER 'PEN' OOMPANY, or FORT MADISON,A IowA,'Ay CORPORATION or DELAWARE t FOUNTAIN PEN lDESK-sTi'uvDV Application filed November 26, 1930. VSerial No. 498,221.

This invention relates toa fountain pen desk lstand and has special reference to a desk stand for holdingfountain pens at various predetermined angular positions with respect S to the base on which a receptacle for the fountain pen is mounted for universal movement thereon. y .t

More particularly, this invention relates to a device comprising a base of comparatively i heavy weight adapted to lie on thetop of ak table and havinga receptacle for receiving and sealing apart from the atmosphere the` writing point and ink feeding mechanism of a fountain pen, the receptacle being secured to a base in a manner toai'ford movement thereof into various positions of angular and rotatable adjustment. t l

It is desirable to hold a fountain pen in a position such that the ink thereiny flows'toward the writing point and thereby to facilitate the flow of ink when starting to write. Also, the writing point and ink feeding mechanism should be kept in avmoistcondition with ink at the point free from contact with air. ,Agaim it is desirable that the fountain pen be held at such a position that it may be readily grasped by the hand preparatory to writing without subsequentadjustment to any particularstyle. `All of these features may be accomplished by the provision of a receptacle having a shoulder on which the vend of the fountain pen rests to provide a chamberwhich is substantially air-tight, the receptacle beingrotatably held at a predetermined angleor in a series of predetermined angular positions relatively to the base. f

In an application assigned to thev assignee of the present invention, filed October 20, 1980, and given Serial No.` 489,824and now Patent Number'1,860,853,1 May 31, V1932, a fountain pen desk standyis shown and described incorporating therein many of the characteristics disclosed in the structure presented herewith. The present invention is directed particularly to an improvement -of Y the aforementioned application and is directed more particularly to the specific type of spring pressed plunger associated in the support for the receptacle and engaging the positioning member therefor. The former invention, above identified, is directed to a post for providing a universal movement N'of the receptaclein which the post 1s lowered,

considerably and provided withV a pivotal connection whichA is assembled from the inide of the post thereby avoiding the unsightliness of having the pivotal pin exposed to view. .These-features are likewise incorporated in the present invention, the pivotal means for the V,receptacle being assembled from the inside `side of the construction` However, inl order kthat 'the vreceptacle `b e firmly held in its various fixed adjusted posi'- tions with a minimum of effort being' required tomanually movey the receptacle into a second fixed adjusted position, the ball bearing is provided in the spring pressed plunger. The compression of the spring may be made sufficiently great so that a subsequent adjustment is unnecessary;Y p

One of the Objects of thisL invenl'zion is to provi'dea fountain pen desk stand of the character indicated above wherein the pivotal means between the receptacle and support is assembled from within the support, the pivotal means including a ball bearing whereby a minimum amount of energy may be employedto move the receptacle to `a changed positionwith amaximum gripping power for holding said receptacle in theinitial position which needs no subsequent adjustment. v s s Y Other-Objects and advantages willherein'- after vbe morev particularly pointed out and fora more complete understanding ofthe characteristic features of this invention, refs ig. 3 is a central sectional view showing the ball in elevation ofthe plunger for en,-

gaging the positioning means of theV recepac e.

Referring fnow. more particularlyV to drawing, the device of this invention comprises a base 10 which is formed preferably of onyx or may be formed of marble, plate glass, statuary materials, or other materials or compositions having substantial mass and weight. Various configurations and shapes of bases may be made in order to enhance the beauty of the device which, of course, is desirable aside from the convenience and general utility of the device. The base may be provided with recesses for receiving clips, pins and other depressions for positioning Statuary objects, and the like, which latter are common in these types of devices. i

The base is provided with intercommunieating concentricapertures 11 and 12 extending between the bottom and top ysurfaces thereof for receiving a post 13, the latter comprising a head portion 14 and a shank portion 15. The outer end of theshank portion i's externally threaded `to receive 'a nut 16, which latter is tightened against spring washers in engagement with the shoulder formed by the intercommunicating apertures 11 'and 12. The head 14 of the post bears agfaii-ist y a washer 17, preferably' of liber, which latter bears against the base 10 in order to prevent chipping of the base when the vpost 13 is rotated.

The posti13 is provided with an internal axial'b'ore 18, the outer Vend-of which is internally threadedto-receive a lscrew plug 19, the latter having a reduced extension 20 thereon for positioning la coil spring member 21 into which memberfthe ,projection 20 extends. The upper -end ofthe bore-18 is adapted to receive in slidable engagement therewith a plunger 22 which is held in an upper position against a positioningmember 23 by means of the compression spring VV21.

A receptacle 24 preferably formed y-ofa pyroxylinplastic product or of any other wellknown composition is formed with 1an upper end' flared opening for receiving the writing point-end -of the fountain pen, a shoulder at the lower end of the opening bearing against thel end of the barrelto provide a chamber fat the lower end of the receptable to receive land to substantially sea-l the ink feeding mechanism yand Ithe writing point of 'the'fountain pen.

Thepositioning member 23 having 'a scalloped -periphery is secured-to the end of the receptacle 24 vas by means of having an i-nternallythreaded recess for receivinga screw memberextending from the closedend of the receptable. The scalloped periphery edge Vof the positioning member 23 is formed of arc-uate portions, the centers of lwhich portions are preferably equi-dista-ntlyv spaced from the aperture for the pivotal pin 25. The pin 25 extends through and beyond each face-side of the positioning member 23 to 'form a pivotal mounting for the receptacle 24.

lThe upper end or head 14 of the post r13 is provided with a slot 26 of suliicient width to permit the pivotal movement of the positioning member 23 therein, the width of the positioning member being slightly smaller than the diameter of the bore 18 to allow free passage therethrough. rlhe pin 25 is .mounted in arecess at the upperend of the bore 18 and extends across or laterally of the slot 26, the recess forming to the curvature of the circumference of the pin 25 thus providing a bearing portion against which the pin rests or is urged by the action of the plunger 22, which We will now describe in detail.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 3, the plimger 22 is shown in cross section as comprising a 'cylindrical body having a central recess 27 in its lower end of a Sullicient diameter to permit lthe ready entrance of the compression spring 21, the spring seating against the material bounding the upper end-'of the recess. The upper end of the cylindrical body 22 is provided With a recess 28 of sui'iicient diameter to receive in .a rotatable relation therein a ball bearing 29, 'the recess being sufficient-ly deep so that the upper end of the material surrounding the recess extends beyond tiie center of the ball. The cylindrical end is preferablytapered as at 30 in order that the material thereof may be readily formed against the ball in order that the latter may be loosely retainedrin the recess 28. Further,the recess may be provided with a drop or two of lubricating oilrin order that the ball may freely revolve in its recess. t has been found that this slight vamount of oil will permit a pivotal movement of the receptacle 24 for a substantial period o'f-time without becoming dissipated 'from the recess. he ball, which is preferably of steel, is prevented from corroding and gives a maximum of efliciency.

The ball 29 is urged into one of the `arcuate'portions of the scalloped periphery Yof the positioning member 23 by reason of its association with the spring pressed plunger 22 to posi-'tion the receptacle 24 in one of its various iXed adjusted positions wherein the ink -in the fountain pen flows toward the Writing point thereof. 'l/Vhen it is desired to move the receptacle 24 into vone of its other fixed-adjusted positions, the plunger 22 -is urgedl against the tension of the lcoilspr-ing 21`by manual force rwhereafter when the force is released, thegplunger urgesthe positioning member upwardly or outwardly from the post -to establish vits'seat, this movement into the second predetermined position bei-ng automatic i-n character, '-asv will hereinafter be Vmore particularly described'.

In the yassembly ofthe mechanism above 'n described, the pin 25 is inserted in the central vopening in the positioning member 23 whereafter "this assembled `-unit is passed through '-the'threaded end ofthe bore 20 to a position such that the pin 25 yseats inthe arcui ate recess provided for it at the top of the post in the head thereof, the threaded end of the member 23 facing outwardly or upwardly through the bifurcated portion to receive the screw from the receptacle 24. Y The plunger 22 is next disposed in the bore or aperture 2O of the post with the ball facing in a direction toward the positioning member whereafter the coil spring 2l is placed in the bore 18 with one end engagingthe-recess 27 of the plunger. The plug 19 is then screwed into position in the internally threaded portion of the shank l5 and is adjusted or tightened to a position such that the ball bearing 29 of the plunger 22 tensionally engages an arcuate portion of the positioning member 23. A suflicient amount of tension is provided by the compression of the spring 2l to hold the weight of the receptacle and the contained fountain pen in an inclined position, the plunger urging the positioning member upwardly or outwardly from the post through the bifurcated portion thereof so as to seat the pin 25 against its recess or bearing.

The receptacle 24 may be moved into various positions, for example, such as is shown in the drawing that the pen may rest so as to be readily grasped by the hand in a position preparatory to writing without a subsequent adjustment to any particular style. However, it may be desired to move the receptacle to a position such that the pen ispointed to a second person seated on the opposite side of a desk for the convenience of the latter. Ofttimes the bases are so large as to prevent a turning movement thereof and, therefore, the receptacle may be swung very readily. Further, it may be desirable to revolve the receptacle around the base in order to accommodate a group of users seated around the desk` The post in this instance may be manually rotated in the aperture against the friction of the spring washers.

ln the operation of the receptacle to its various angular positions it will be apparent that should the ball 29 not have a seating engagement with one of the scallops or arcuate portions of the positioning member 23 as when the receptacle 24 is out of a predetermined position, the center of the are will be out of axial alignment with the plunger and will thereby present a cam surface to the plunger whereby the latter is urged by its spring 21 to seat in one of the arcuate portions to pivot the receptacle into a predetermined position. Thus, in changing from one position to another it is only necessary to give the receptacle an initial movement whereafter it will be automatically changed into apredetermined second position. It is, of course, to be understood that as many scallops may be provided as the number of positions may be desired so that any number from one up may be had.

yAsa result of rthis invention itis possible to assemble or disassemble the above'construc-` tion with comparative ease, and by reason of yassembling the positioning membe'rjand pen from within the post no unsightliness ispresented to view and the post islowered to have a greater spring compression to accom-v modate the same degree of manual forcefor movement of the receptacle. This latter isv desirable in that in many instances the adjustment screw 19 for determining'the compression ofthe spring 2l isset at the factory before shipment and may be completely covered up and prevent subsequent adjustment by the user. One instancein which the vad-A justing means is not accessible subsequent to the assembly thereof at the place ofmanufacture is wherein the recess inthe baseis comparatively great, the base being a statuary object'several inches thick. The pestis uniform for all desk sets and extensions are provided forv insertion'in the recess for engagement with the external screw'member of the post. Y The extension, therefore,`covers the adjustinglscrew or mechanismwhich is controlled thereby.

` Vhile but a single embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it is to be kunderstood that various modifications thereof may be apparent to those' skilled in the art without departing from the vspirit and scope of this invention and, therefore, the same is only to be limited-by the scope of the prior art and the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A supporting means for the pivotally` mounted fountain pen receptacle of a desk stand comprising a recessed member having a spring pressed plunger in the recess thereof,

said plunger having movable means thereon for engagement with said receptacle for holding the same in adjusted positions.

said receptacleV for holding the same in adiusted positions A 4, A supporting means for the pivotally mounted fountain pen receptacle of a desk stand comprising a recessedmernber having a springpressed plunger in the recess thereof, saidplunger having a ball mounted to rotate in the upper end thereof for engagement with said receptacle for holding the same in ad justed positions, f 5 A mounted fountain pen receptacle of a desk stand comprising a recessed memberv having a spring pressed plunger in the recess thereof, said plunger having `a recess at itsl upper end to receive a ball free to rotate, and means for preventing displacement of said ball, said ball engaging said receptacle for holding the l same in adjusted positions.

6. A supporting means for the pivotally mounted fountain pen receptacle of a desk stand comprising a recessed member having a spring pressed plunger in the recess thereof, said plunger having a recess at its upper end to receive a ball free to rotate, and means for preventing displacement of said ball, said plunger having a recess in its lower end for receiving said spring and said ball engaging said receptacle for holding the same in adj usted positions.

7. A supporting means for the pivotally mounted fountain pen receptacle of a desk stand comprising a recessed member having a spring pressedplunger in the recess thereof, said plunger having a ball mounted at the upper end thereof for engagement with a scalloped peripheral end of said receptacle for holding the latter in one of various prede-V termined positions.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

SAMUEL L. DAUGHERTY.

supporting means for the pivotally 

